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State of the media in Southern Africa 2002
Zimbabwe Independent Chief Reporter, Dumisani Muleya is unreservedly condemned
by MISA-Zimbabwe.
What is most frightening in the arrest of the two journalists is that it is the
Department of Information and Publicity that is the complainant in matters that
involve individuals. MISA-Zimbabwe and other media organizations maintain
that the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act is meant to target
certain journalists. Without doubt the recent events are bringing out the real
intentions behind the media law. Rather than bringing “sanity” in the media as
is purported, the law is now being arbitrarily applied to the detriment of the
principles of free expression.
That the Department becomes a complainant in terms of a law that was partisanly
drafted by the same department is undemocratic to say the least. One would
expect that the complainants’ take up any grievances they may hold against
journalists through the civil laws available to everyone else rather than have
government take up matters of criminal defamation on behalf of individuals.
The effects of criminal defamation laws and the sum total of the Access to
Information and Protection of Privacy Act is to intimidate journalists into silence
and seriously affect the flow of information to members of the public.
The arrest of the journalists however gives a chance for constitutional challenges
to be made on the legality of the Access to Information and Protection of
Privacy Act and indeed such laws as the Public Order and Security Act. It is the
position of MISA-Zimbabwe that a process of litigation must be undertaken so
that such repressive laws are struck off our statutes books.
MISA-Zimbabwe further calls upon law-enforcing institutions such as the police
to carry their work impartially and above reproach. What is becoming clear
is the psychological war that the police carry out on journalists by arresting and
later releasing them, sometimes without any charges preferred. What is ultimately
necessary and important is the creation of a conduicive political environment
in which journalists can carry out their business like any other citizen.
Sarah Chiumbu, MISA-Zimbabwe Director
Press Statement
June 4, 2002
TOPIC: Statement on the appointment of a Media Commission in
Zimbabwe
2002
MISA-Zimbabwe seeks to clarify that the statement circulating in Zimbabwe
on the need for a gender balanced Media Commission is neither an endorsement
of the recently appointed body headed by Mr Tafataona Mahoso, nor of
the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, which we believe is a
296 So This Is Democracy?